Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
15 – 17 August 2020 Daily Human Rights Report
(08/108) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 16, 2020 that, 2 HPG militants died in an air operation of Turkish Armed Forces to rural areas of Şırnak on August 1, 2020.
(08/109) Person Subjected to Police Violence in Diyarbakır…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 14, 2020 that, a person named Süleyman Arıkan was subjected to physical violence of the police raiding his house in Bağlar district of Diyarbakır.
It is reported that, the police threatened Süleyman Arıkan to prevent him from making a criminal complaint, after the police found out that they have raided the wrong residence. It is also stated in the news reports that Süleyman Arıkan went to a police station to make criminal complaint however his complaint was not put in process.
Süleyman Arıkan states the following: “I did not understand who they were first, I understood that they were police officers when they came in. They asked me about some names, I told them I did not know. They took me out to the terrace of my house. Made me lay down on the ground and insulted me. (…) I told them that they were wrong. They cursed me, insulted me. And hit my back with gunstocks as if it was not enough. 5 of them started to hit my back while I was on the ground. I asked them what I was charged with, they said ‘do not talk!’ and kept insulting me. They hit me more when I rejected them. (…) After an hour they found out that they were in the wrong house. They said ‘we are looking for someone’. I told them this was not my address that they look for. Although they understood that, they kept pressurizing on me. They threatened me when I told them I was going to make criminal complaint against them.”
(08/110) Death Fast in Prison…
It is learned that Constitutional Court rejected the appeal for release of lawyers Ebru Timtik and Aytaç Ünsal who are on death fast to demand a fair trial on August 14, 2020. The Institution of Forensic Medicine has given a report which states health conditions of Ebru Timtik (on 228th day of fast in Silivri Prison No 9) and Aytaç Ünsal (197th day of fast in Burhaniye T Type Prison) are not available to be kept in prison.
(08/111) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 15, 2020 that, the hunger strike of 6 prisoners demanding to be put in other cells since they were put in solitary cells with wire nets on open-air areas, and which was then supported by other prisoners in groups of 4, in Tekirdağ F Type Prison No 2, ended after prison administration approves demands of prisoners.
(08/112) Detained Journalist in Muğla…
Journalist Hakan Aygün is detained in Datça district of Muğla on August 16, 2020, on the grounds that he did not give his official statement through an investigation against him. Hakan Aygün is released after statement procedures at the prosecutor’s office on the same day.
(08/113) Arrested Co-Mayor in Diyarbakır…
İbrahim Çiçek, who was elected as co-mayor from Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Yenişehir district of Diyarbakır and who was not given his certificate of election for being dismissed from his job by a state of emergency decree, is detained in Diyarbakır on August 14, 2020. İbrahim Çiçek is arrested by the court on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on the same day.
(08/114) Detained Human Rights Defender and Others in Hakkari…
On August 14, 2020, 9 people inducing Pınar Yılmaz, executive board member of Human Rights Association (IHD) Hakkari branch are detained in house raids in Yüksekova and Şemdinli districts of Hakkari, through an investigation against Democratic Society Congress (DTK).
(08/115) Detained Union Members and Executive in Antalya…
Derya Yulcu, women’s secretary of Education and Science Workers’ Union (Eğitim-Sen) and 2 members of union (Selman Karasu and Saim Atılgan) are detained through a Muş based investigation, in Antalya on August 16, 2020.
(08/116) Detained People in Diyarbakır…
6 people (Agit Nakçi, Abdullah Arşiment, Veysi Solmaz, Doğan Tuncer, Fırat Aslanlı and Amed Ezer) who were detained in house raids in Silvan district of Diyarbakır on August 14, 2020 are released after statement procedures at the police on August 16, 2020.
(08/117) Detained HDP Executive and Others in Şırnak…
On August 15, 2020, 14 people including HDP’s Silopi district executive Delil Ürek, are detained in house raids in Beytüşşebap, İdil, Cizre and Silopi districts of Şırnak. Names of detained people learned so far are: Delil Ürek, Ramazan Cin, Ali Ül, İhsan Olgar, Sabri Ormanlı, İlam Kurtay.
(08/118) Detained HDP Executive in Aydın…
On August 15, 2020, Tekin Erikli, HDP’s district co-chair is detained on the grounds of social media posts, in a house raid in Ortaklar district of Aydın.
It is claimed in the news reports that the police pulled a gun to head of Tekin Erikli’s 12-year-old child during house raid and threatened the people in the house.
Tekin Erikli is released by the court on judicial control conditions on August 16, 2020.
(08/119) Detained HDP Executive and Others in Muş…
On August 15, 2020, 17 people including Abdulbari Yiğit, HDP’s provincial co-chair are detained in house raids in districts of Muş.
Names of detained people learned so far are: Abdulbari Yiğit, Tekin Özcan, Gülay Bingöl and Kasım Gölbaşı.
(08/120) Detained People in Siirt…
On August 16, 2020, 16 people are detained in house raids in Siirt. Names of detained people learned so far are: Adalet Özer, Nevzat Elçi, Mahsun Polat, Mehmet Şefik Bilenç, Müşerif Dalkılıç, Sait Özbay, Kemal Cengiz, M. Şirin Altan, Şevket Dalkılıç, Şefik Bilen. The reason of detention is unknown.
(08/121) Detained HDP Executive in Istanbul…
On August 14, 2020, Kemal Kaplan, HDP’s district executive in Esenyurt district of Istanbul is detained in a house raid, on the grounds of a complaint against him.
(08/122) Detained Person in Mardin…
On August 14, 2020, 1 person (M. Y.) is detained in a house raid in Derik district of Mardin. The reason of detention is unknown.
(08/123) Detained People in Adana…
On August 14, 2020, 4 people are detained by gendarmerie in house raids in Adana. The reason of detention and names of detained people who were taken to Adana Gendarmerie Command, are unknown.
(08/124) Detained People in Adana…
6 people including 3 children including HDP Party Assembly and Youth Assembly members who were detained in house raids in Adana on August 7, 2020, are released by the court on judicial control conditions on August 15, 2020. 4 people (Ferhat Kalkan, Serdal Aslan, Hasan Aslan and İbrahim Önen) are released on house confinement.
3 people (Muhittin Kaya, Şükran and Faruk Efetürk) who were also detained thorugh the same investigation were released after statement procedures at the police on August 7, 2020.
(08/125) Detained People in Bursa for Social Media Posts…
Aziz Amak, 1 of 5 people who were detained in Bursa on August 13, 2020, on the grounds of social media posts, is arrested by the court on August 15, 2020. 4 people (İbrahim Tekeş, Onur Demir, Serkan Savgan and İbrahim Gezer) are released.
(08/126) Juridical Proceedings for Social Media Posts…
Ministry of Interior made a declaration on August 14, 2020 and declared that 14,186 social media accounts have been examined since January 1, 2020; and juridical proceedings have been initiated against 6,743 social media user on the grounds of “making propaganda for terrorist organisations, provoking hatred and hostility among public, insulting public, inciting fear and panic among public, aiming operations on perceptions and provocative posts”.
(08/127) Ban of Event in Muş…
It is learned that the youth gathering of HDP Youth Assembly which was to be held at Kale Park in Malazgirt district on August 16, 2020, was prevented by Malazgirt Sub-governorate on August 14, 2020, on the grounds of Muş Governorate’s ban on events all over the city. It is reported that the event was held at HDP’s district office.
(08/128) Ban of Events in Tunceli and Antep…
Tunceli Governorate made a declaration on August 14, 2020 and announced that, demonstrations, press declarations, open-door meetings, protests, concerts, festivals, meetings, opening tents and stands, hunger strikes, commemorations, delivering leaflets, hanging banners and so on are banned for 15 days as of August 15, 2020.
Antep Governorate made a declaration on August 145 2020 and announced that, demonstrations, press declarations, open-door meetings, protests, concerts, festivals, meetings, opening tents and stands, hunger strikes, commemorations, delivering leaflets, hanging banners and so on are banned for 15 days as of August 15, 2020.
(08/129) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that news reports on https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/, https://www.sozcu.com.tr/, https://www.milligazete.com.tr/ about Cooperative Agricultural and Credit Associations are banned to access by Ankara Penal Court of Peace No 8 on August 14, 2020.
(08/130) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
12 of 37 military members on active duty who were detained through an Istanbul based investigation on August 11, 2020, are arrested by the court on August 14, 2020. 25 people are released provided that 20 of them will be on judicial control conditions.
(08/131) Covid-19 Pandemic…
Ministry of Health declared that 22 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1.226 new Covid-19 cases were diagnosed on August 14, 2020.
Ministry of Health declared that 21 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1.256 new Covid-19 cases were diagnosed on August 15, 2020.
Ministry of Health declared that 19 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1.192 new Covid-19 cases were diagnosed on August 16, 2020.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 5,974 and total number of confirmed cases is 249.309 as of August 16, 2020.
It is learned that a doctor in Viranşehir district of Urfa died from Covid-19 on August 15, 2020.
It is learned from the news coverage of August 16, 2020 that, a prisoner in Bitlis E Type Prison tested positive for Covid-19.
[1]The reports on the human rights violations of the Documentation Center are claims unless they are certified. The claim of violation either is certified through thoroughly investigations of HRFT Documentation Center, including by judicial verdicts, and becomes a definite data or it is not included to the annual report.
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[5] Daily Human Rights Reports are prepared on the information gathered by the Documentation Center from its own network and the following dailies and internet portals: Vatan, Milliyet, Hürriyet, Habertürk, Evrensel, Birgün, Cumhuriyet, Fırat Haber Ajansı, Jinnews, ETHA, Mezopotamya Ajansı, Yurt, Yeni Yaşam, NTV, Yeni Asya, Bianet, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, Tr724, İleri Haber, Siyasi Haber, Alınteri, Kızılbayrak, Sendika.org, Yüksekova Haber, T24, Diken, Gazete Karınca, Gazete Duvar. Haber Sol, El Cezire, BBC, Deutsche Welle, Reuters, AFP.